“But speaking from the government’s point of view they must go further than that and ask themselves — why would the people be so prepared to put themselves in such a situation to demand for electoral reforms ” she said.

I draw your "good" selves to attention to the Society of Professional Jounalists' Code of Ethics -

Preamble

Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. The duty of the journalist is to further those ends by seeking truth and providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues. Conscientious journalists from all media and specialties strive to serve the public with thoroughness and honesty. Professional integrity is the cornerstone of a journalist's credibility. Members of the Society share a dedication to ethical behavior and adopt this code to declare the Society's principles and standards of practice.

Seek Truth and Report It

Journalists should be honest, fair and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information.

Journalists should:

— Test the accuracy of information from all sources and exercise care to avoid inadvertent error. Deliberate distortion is never permissible.
— Diligently seek out subjects of news stories to give them the opportunity to respond to allegations of wrongdoing.
— Identify sources whenever feasible. The public is entitled to as much information as possible on sources' reliability.
— Always question sources’ motives before promising anonymity. Clarify conditions attached to any promise made in exchange for information. Keep promises.
— Make certain that headlines, news teases and promotional material, photos, video, audio, graphics, sound bites and quotationsdo not misrepresent. They should not oversimplify or highlight incidents out of context.
— Never distort the content of news photos or video. Image enhancement for technical clarity is always permissible. Label montages and photo illustrations.
— Avoid misleading re-enactments or staged news events. If re-enactment is necessary to tell a story, label it.
— Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering information except when traditional open methods will not yield information vital to the public. Use of such methods should be explained as part of the story
— Never plagiarize.
— Tell the story of the diversity and magnitude of the human experience boldly, even when it is unpopular to do so.
— Examine their own cultural values and avoid imposing those values on others.
— Avoid stereotyping by race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, geography, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance or social status.
— Support the open exchange of views, even views they find repugnant.
— Give voice to the voiceless; official and unofficial sources of information can be equally valid.
— Distinguish between advocacy and news reporting. Analysis and commentary should be labeled and not misrepresent fact or context.
— Distinguish news from advertising and shun hybrids that blur the lines between the two.
— Recognize a special obligation to ensure that the public's business is conducted in the open and that government records are open to inspection.

If you dicks, cunts and arseholes cannot abide by the above ethics, don't call yourselves journalists. Calling yourselves professionals is worse than blasphemy.

Bersih admitted it lost control of the tens of thousands on the streets of the capital today when protesters failed to adhere to strict instructions not to breach the police barricade surrounding Dataran Merdeka.

And the China pek dick puts the blame on PAS,

When the rally continued, said Wong, Bersih leaders and security personnel from PAS’s Unit Amal failed to hold back protesters from proceeding to breach the barricade, which the election watchdog group had earlier promised it would not do today.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

“DAP urges all Malaysians to join the Bersih rallies nationwide, especially at Dataran Merdeka,” - Lim Guan Eng in response to "My opposition to this kind of demonstration is — we are encouraging people to break the law and we are supposed to be lawmakers"

"Lim added that Tunku Abdul Aziz had not informed the party leadership that he would be making his stand public and had therefore contradicted the DAP’s principle of collective decision-making." - Lim Guan Eng

As such I will be at Dataran Merdeka tomorrow to show that I am more than just a gay man I am a voter and I sure as hell want free and fair elections so that we can advance to a Malaysia where we can live as who we are overtly happy people who can go around openly without being threatened and cowed because the closet cases don’t have the guts to do so.

As an old fossil who is ignorant of Christian history and out respect to a more learned Mr Rama, I will not be so condescending as him.

Suffice to say I do not need a time machine to recognise that Christian pastors have taken political roles to alter the course of history positively, as in the case of Bishop Desmond Tutu and Cardinal Sin.

But I ask the learned Mr Rama, does the Christian situation in Malaysia warrant any political activism?

Political issues in Malaysia is subjective. Meaning if one is opposition inclined, opposition issues raised would be mooted by those pro-BN/Govt and vice versa.

Let's be frank, what is the main objective of Christianity. It is evangelism, the spreading of Christ teachings.

The point Mr Rama misses, dinosaurs like me and people like Steve Roads are not blind to the opposition taking full advantage of the objective for a political agenda.

Let's be very, very frank, if the Malay polity were to use religion in Mosques for a political agenda I am absolutely certain Mr Rama would vehemently object - "Cannot, cannot this is secular country!"

Nevertheless, Jesus never wanted to be involved in a political movement, and fled from every attempt to draw him into earthly questions and affairs (cf. Jn 6:15). The kingdom he came to establish does not belong to this world (cf. Jn 18:36). For this reason he said to those who wanted him to take a stand regarding the civil power: "Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God" (Mt 22:21)

and most significantly and how apt,

Like Jesus, he must renounce involvement in political activity, especially by not taking sides (which almost inevitably happens).

I don't know if Mr Rama is Christian and I couldn't care less.

For all his scholastic, academic and historical facts, the subject by which he chose to give an example viz a sodomite, you know where he is coming from -

Many older Malaysian Christians believe a precept of their religion is that faith and politics should be kept separate This belief is best illustrated by an example.

Once an older member of one church chastised me for commending a young preacher’s mention of the first Anwar trial in a sermon.

In the Sundaily papers today, regular columnist Oon Yeoh, has this headline for his column, "Let BERSIH Use Dataran".

I may not be a PhD or a Masters degree holder but I do have something called common sense.

The law is the law.

I wonder if this description has lost it's literal meaning - LAW ABIDING CITIZENS.

Mr Oon, LET PEOPLE ROB BANKS.

Can?

This Oon Yeoh is a closet DAP supporter who tried to hide his tracks. His views are biased.

If his opposition leaning proclivities are not a cause for his slanted views then he must be an IDIOT.

Mr Oon, knowing your DAP inclinations and as a columnist, you and other younger generation (and older generation) in the field of journalism, will be well advised to listen to the words of senior DAP vice-president and Senator, Tunku Abdul Aziz, regarding BERSIH 3.0.

Then no matter what political affiliation journos and writers may have, responsible writing as it should be, will be much respected.

It is indeed rare and so very refreshing that someone high in the opposition hierarchy would come out to call a spade a spade, the law is the law and no amount of spin, lies and propaganda can legitimise an unlawful act and it's consequences.

Anwar said one of the PR’s concerns was how to conduct a peaceful power transition from Barisan Nasional to PR “when the time comes.”

To make sure the riots in Penang, Kedah, Perak and Selangor will not recur. Hahaha.

...as well as the rationale behind the upcoming Bersih 3.0 rally.

Yes, yes, to foreigners aka crash course in BULLSHIT 3.0 Hehe.

Also present were Bersih leaders which included Maria Chin Abdullah and Hishamuddin Rais.

Lying in plain sight. Stupid me, all the time I thought BULLSHIT 3.0 was apolitical. No DAP ah?

"One diplomat said what has been published in the news seem to indicate Datuk Seri Najib Razak was more popular To which Anwar said that opinion polls should be read with caution and detail"

See, I told you not to believe that DAP Onkie 3.1 million fellow. Ohhh, now I know why DAP missing.

"Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s loss in the last GE despite the fact that opinion surveys showed he was highly popular among Malaysians."

Last GE opinion surveys showed Pak Lah was highly popular among Malaysians. Betul kah? At that time no need for survey to show how popular Pak Lahwas, everyone knew how "popular" so much so kena tendang. Hahahahahahaha.

"They diplomats were interested in how we plan to take over we also explained to them our concerns about electoral reforms"

Fuziah along with PKR’s Sivarasa Rasiah conducted presentations of unresolved issues surrounding the electoral system such as the "unnatural" spike of voters in Selangor as well as the professionalism of the Election Commission, EC.

I WRITE in response to “Churches misusing the pulpit” (The Star, April 25). The writer’s arguments seem meaningful but he has failed to see the bigger context of things when he says that churches should remove politics from the pulpit.

I do not know which mainstream church he goes to, but to say that sermons from several mainstream churches incite people against the Government is misleading and untrue.

The main gist of the writer’s argument is that mainline churches should not bring politics to the pulpit. As a Christian myself, I do not agree with such a view.

The writer is flawed in his thinking that the church should not highlight political issues that affect its congregation.

The truth is everything from religion, economics, culture, the right of every citizen to business, commerce, education, policies, and the rule of law is politically intertwined in Malaysia.

The writer has cited some statistics of how Christians are the “second largest and fourth largest faith community in their respective population strata”.

Statistics do not mean a thing to the pressing issues at hand facing the Christian community.

The church would not do so if there is no pressing need for it to address certain national issues.

The church is not infringing on its religious authority when it does so; it is merely playing its universal role in seeking and highlighting issues that affect the Christian community and its welfare.

In fact, one should be proud that the church has now stepped out of its sometime symbolic role to play an important part in nation-building.

It is also very common for Christians to turn to the church for guidance, motivation and enlightenment in difficult times.

The church does not force anyone to obey it. Again, if one does not agree with what is being preached, one can choose to focus only on the religious message and not be bothered with the political content.

Malaysia is seeing the growth of civil society groups that now also include religious bodies, which is an unavoidable phenomenon in a maturing democratic society such as Malaysia.

For 2,000 years, the Catholic Church, for example, has been involved in many aspects of the affairs of the state, from international diplomacy and foreign affairs to peace mediation in international conflicts. Therefore, the church plays an important role in international relations and global economics.

The recent visit of our Prime Minister to the Vatican further strengthens the view of how international relations and a religious authority can co-exist in a healthy plain.

Rather than judge the actions of the church, the writer should try to understand the integral message it’s trying to preach, which is a universal struggle against injustice, the evils of tyranny, the persecution of the innocent (oppression), unfairness, corruption and greed.

Similarly, criticism from the church is not meant to harm anyone or any government, it is meant to improve the elected government of the day in its responsibility to the people.

This is the social role that a religious body like the church is trying to play. As the saying goes, “to receive criticism is good, to not receive criticism at all is dangerous”.

A CHURCHGOER TOO,

Petaling Jaya.

At this point I wish to say that I should engage A Churchgoer Too at the same medium and maybe I would by submitting this, my post.

But I hope there will be others who have similar observations of "Churches misusing the pulpit" to provide more discourse in support.

"Jenky, along with other U.S. Catholic bishops and social conservatives, condemned the Obama administration's requirement that church-affiliated institutions provide insurance that covers contraception."

Nurul, you said, “What happened in Egypt and other parts of the Arab world served as reassurance that Islam and democracy can and should co-exist, and this is very important to Malaysia. We must now ensure change takes place in Malaysia.”

Nurul, you are fast becoming a stooge just like your father and we Malaysians do not want the type of change you and your papa are peddling.

We Malaysians have shown, we would rather sink with our (past, present and future) BN Govt rather than swim with foreign funded puppets like you (US92,000 for your education. Kesian, masa tu papa rumah kecik kat Sungai Buloh), your papa and the yellow madam Ambiga.

The appearance of George Soros non-governmental organization (NGO)-backed “themed revolutions” in Indonesia and Malaysia, two nations that are rich in natural gas and oil resources but which have maintained relatively friendly relations with China, indicates that the U.S. is looking at expanding its list of allies in the Asia-Pacific zone. The nationalist tendencies of Indonesian President Susilo Bambamg Yudhoyono and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak have been a stumbling block for U.S. geo-political designs in the region. The appearance of the “Sandal Revolution” in Indonesia targeting endemic corruption in the courts and political system, coupled with the acquittal on sodomy charges of Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim opens the way for a further coalescing of opposition forces in both nations. The opposition Bersih movement in Malaysia, funded with dollars from the “democracy engineers” of the neocon-riddled U.S. National Endowment for Democracy, has chosen yellow for its revolution. In Myanmar, or Burma, the NED and Soros operatives are active for another round of the Saffron Revolution.

When you talk about Egypt when asking idiots to come to Dataran, do tell all them gullible idiots about “NGOs” that spooked Egypt.

But really Nurul, the reason I am getting at you is - in your call to idiots to shit with you at Dataran, you said and I quote,

"I am surprised that anyone is surprised at the manner of Gaddafi’s death. What did we expect the rebels to do? Offer Gaddafi buttered scones and an airline ticket to Geneva while the clock struck four at Grantchester?"

Before I proceed, short of calling you bitch, you and your hypocrite papa claim to champion human rights, and I don't really know what kelulusan you (and your papa) have nor do I care but as far as Gaddafi's death is concerned, you are really ignorant or if not, a bigger hypocrite.

It is a fundamental principle of international law that people accused of serious crimes should be tried if possible, he said. The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants in June for Gaddafi, his son Saif al-Islam and intelligence chief for crimes against humanity.

"Summary executions are strictly illegal under any circumstances. It's different if someone is killed in combat. There was a civil war taking place in Libya. So if the person died as part of combat, that is a different issue and that is normally acceptable under the circumstances," Colville said.

"But if something else has happened, if someone is captured and then deliberately killed, then that is a very serious matter"

The willful killing of a person in custody is a serious violation of the laws of war and is a war crime that could be prosecuted by the International Criminal Court, Human Rights Watch said.

Yes Nurul, you are really showing your true colours.

"I am surprised that anyone is surprised at the manner of Gaddafi’s death. What did we expect the rebels to do? Offer Gaddafi buttered scones and an airline ticket to Geneva while the clock struck four at Grantchester?"- Nurul Izzah

I hope and pray that you and your father will never get a chance to come into power.

If you did, then you won't be surprised that this would happen to your enemies -

No human being, whatever he may have done, do not deserve to suffer and die like Gaddafi.

AS a practising Christian, I feel a sense of obligation to remind leaders of some churches not to allow the use of their pulpits for purposes other than for preaching the word of God.

I refer specifically to political sermons. Pastors and bishops are ordained by God to preach the Gospel, not incite people against the Government.

I would not have raised this issue if there had been only isolated cases of such misuse, but unfortunately the practice seems to be rampant, especially in some mainstream churches in Kuala Lumpur and other urban centres.

Some religious leaders are even inviting non-Christian politicians to address their congregations at church-organised seminars and meetings within the church compounds with clear political motives.

Don’t they realise they are being made use of by opportunist politicians who stoke emotions and preach divisive politics?

If church members wish to involve themselves in politics, they should join political parties and participate openly in political activities. And they should be prepared to take the risks too.

If they think that Christians need a greater voice in government, they should use the political process and the political parties to identify Christians and propose them as candidates for the next general election.

But do not use the church as your shield. When you do, you are doing other Christians a grave injustice.

I have heard many Christians say that all they want to do is to attend church service to worship and strengthen themselves spiritually.

But these days their desires are being hijacked, and they are receiving political indoctrination instead, much against their will. They resent this because they are apolitical.

But while they remain neutral they are fully aware of the political and other realities of life in a multi-religious, multi-ethnic society.

They have eyes to see. And they have noted that the exponential growth of Christians and churches in this country since independence is second to none in the world.

The 2000 Population and Housing Census Report indicates that approximately 11.5% of the rural population and 7.6% of the urban population are adherents to Christianity, making Christians the second largest and fourth largest faith community in their respective population strata.

History has proven, time and again, that religion and politics are a volatile mix. The goals are in conflict.

In the final analysis, as somebody once said “politics is about power and Christianity is about sacrifice”.

Church leaders should not indulge in self-righteous pontificating. They are of course entitled to their largely middle-class and upper middle-class Christian worldview, but they should realise that the government of the day has also to consider and accommodate the larger non-Christian lower middle-class worldview.

There is one other thing that I hope church elders will consider before they seek to remove the smote in others’ eyes.

I would ask them to spend some time in introspection. Isn’t there much that needs to be put right within the Church hierarchy and administration?

Deny not, like Peter did, albeit in different circumstances, that there are practices in the church that are not Christ-centred.

Is there politicking in church? Does money influence some decisions? Are there cliques and cronies? Please set these matters right first before casting the first stone.

STEVE ROADS,

Kuala Lumpur.

In the Sundaily papers today, regular columnist Oon Yeoh, has this headline for his column, "Let BERSIH Use Dataran".

I may not be a PhD or a Masters degree holder but I do have something called common sense.

The law is the law.

I wonder if this description has lost it's literal meaning - LAW ABIDING CITIZENS.

Mr Oon, LET PEOPLE ROB BANKS.

Can?

This Oon Yeoh is a closet DAP supporter who tried to hide his tracks. His views are biased.

If his opposition leaning proclivities are not a cause for his slanted views then he must be an IDIOT.

Blogger Note:

I have to be very blunt, anyone who instigate or break the laws of our land in the name of "civil society" must be thrown in the slammer, and anyone doesn't like the laws of our lands they can...FUCK OFF.

No fooling around folks, the Brother implied that the Govt of the day would use the ISA, emergency laws, suspend the constituition and the kitchen sink to prevent BN MPs from crossing over to the dark side.

We all know what happened or did not happen.

Although this guy does not even have half an iota of credibility, what he does have is skin as thick as rhino.

Any politician worth his salt, if he were in the Brother's shoes, would have taken down any post related to such a failed putsch - real, imagined or fabricated.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim denied today that he was the man filmed having sex with a woman in a hotel room on February 21, and called the emergence of the video recording today a "scurrilous attack" against him his family and Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

"Yes I deny sternly this scurrilous attack I categorically deny it" he told reporters this evening when asked point-blank if he was the man in the video recording.

He added that he was at home with his wife Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail their children grandchildren and members of his staff on the night in question.

Now it was not the Anwaristas or Pakatan fellows but others who were in awe.

In cyberspace, Anwar Ibrahim was praised as a truly larger than life "Member" of Parliament.

What an awesome moment it must have been for PAS when Brother Anwar openly came out in support of Hudud but it certainly shocked fellow Pakatan Rakyat and DAP stalwart Karpal Singh. If Karpal had succumbed to a heart attack there and then, it would have really been over his dead body.

Damage control was the Pakatan Rakyat order of the day.

Shock waves were felt throughout the country when Anwar Ibrahim was acquitted of Sodomy 2.0 by the high court. No doubt about that.

It was then PAS' Tok Guru Nik Aziz turn to be shocked when same Brother Anwar declared his support for all efforts to protect the security of the State of Israel.

“It’s utter rubbish what the press says is utter rubbish. If only they know what is the truth. I am not telling them. I want them to make more mistakes ” he told a Malaysiakini reporter when met at the Jalan Duta court complex lobby.

KUALA LUMPUR: Senator Datuk S. Nalla­karuppan has handed over a video tape as part of his “evidence” in a RM100mil defamation suit filed by Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim against him.

The Malaysian United Indian Party (MUIP) chief handed over the tape, sealed inside an envelope, to his lawyer Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah in the presence of reporters yesterday at the Jalan Duta court complex lobby here.

Thus, I certainly see The Herald as nothing more than another partisan opposition vehicle and supports what I have said all along - the Malaysian Catholic Church is infested with opposition sycophants and extremists.

In the good old days The Herald used to have movie ratings

Yes, you heard me right, movie ratings in The Herald akin to PG and X ratings.

Since DBKL has turned down the BERSIH 3.0 request to sit in Dataran Merdeka, which I hasten to add with dumbfounding reasons, the Catholic church could permit St John's Cathedral premises for the BERSIH sit in or rally or whatever. It's for a good cause.

As BERSIH is not allowed to occupy Dataran, with the church's blessing BERSIH can have occupy St John's, then it will not end like occupy London at St Paul's.

Riot police remove a demonstrator from a barricade as they evict protesters from St. Paul’s Cathedral Occupy London camp on Feb. 28, 2012.

Members of Occupy London stand by a barricade they constructed of packing crates as they resist eviction outside St Paul's Cathedral on Feb. 28, 2012. After 137 days and the resignation of two senior clerics. Bailiffs, backed by riot police, cleared the encampment and arrested 20 activists.

Shortly after 1 a.m. on Feb. 28, 2012, bailiffs and police removed protesters supporting the Occupy London movement. Set up outside St. Paul’s Cathedral since October, activists recently lost their fight against eviction in the High Court.

A woman prays as riot police remove protesters from the Occupy encampment on the steps of St Paul's Cathedral in London on Feb. 28, 2012.

Friday, April 20, 2012

I covered the macabre and the bizarre and did not put the finishing shocking touch.

Datuk Rocky in his latest Bru posting "Bad Drivers" lists among the bad drivers one who allegedly stole some money from an artist, a pretty sum of money from a pretty artist, and was duly reported to the police.

Parallel, somewhat, is a famous corruption case, involving an infamous and at the time UMNO politician, arising out of a police report made by the politician's assistant involving said politician's driver.

That driver too is mentioned in the Bru's latest posting.

What was supposed to be my shocking revelation was and can now be found at Rocky's Bru - there is UMNO politician from Sabah allegedly implicated as a result of the theft reported by the artist in a counter police report by the driver.

Is the present alleged artist's politician confidant the one the above blogger is referring to?

While the blogger does not specifically name the politician, one is led to assume the identity of the politicain in the comment section.

Relevant excerpts -

"Their “secret weapon” was to recycle an old story on a timberman, one Michael Chia Thien Foh, and allegedly close to Musa, being nabbed with some RM 16 million at one time at Hong Kong Airport. Some media reported RM 17 million.

"The story, as it now transpires, is that Chia was not carrying Malaysian or foreign currency on him, albeit in substantial amounts, at that time apart from his credit cards and some petty cash in his wallet. The Hong Kong authorities had apparently jumped the gun, acting on a public tip-off that was later traced to a telephone call which came from a public telephone booth in Semporna, and was left red-faced in the process."

But more interesting -

"It’s not surprising that PKR has no qualms about walking on the wild side of politics in Sabah. It’s an open secret in the state that Opposition Leader and de facto PKR chief Anwar Ibrahim was among the chief architects responsible for placing illegal immigrants, mainly drawn from Suluk Filipinos, on the electoral rolls. He was then in the BN Government as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister."

And even more interesting -

"Between the Suluk Filipinos and Anwar/PKR, they are not too happy that Musa has since pledged support for the proposed Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on illegal immigrants in Sabah."

and

"Mindful that the Dusuns and Muruts through Joseph Pairin Kitingan and the Parti Bersatu Sabah are solidly behind Musa, the Suluk Filipinos recently tried to sponsor KDM Malaysia as an NGO to further split the non-Muslim Natives as a political force to reckon with in the state. Their efforts came to nothing and the NGO is currently on the verge of being deregistered by the Registrar of Societies (ROS)."

"Investigating officer Sgt Major Razali Mahmud, 50, also told the court that he did not agree with the suggestion by counsel Patrick Dass, who is representing Baharudin's family, that he had been instructed to have the deceased's heart switched with that of another deceased while the autopsy was being carried out on the night of the day that Baharudin died."

The Malay Mail has been more responsible in reporting this bizarre question by counsel for the late Baharuddin Ahmad, who passed away in that BERSIH 2.0 rally.

The Brother laments in "Anwar: Pakatan unhappy with EC, may delay state polls" that "the leaders of PR states arestill negotiating on whether to hold simultaneous polls with national elections but added there was fear the alleged voter roll manipulation could greatly affect the pact’s chances if it remains unresolved."

What is there to negotiate "whether to hold simultaneous polls with national elections" when "We (Pakatan Rakyat) have compelling evidence and facts to support our argument that the election process is fraudulent."

This is the type of "credible" coalition that says one thing one day and another incredible thing another day and which aspires to sit in Putrajaya?

Just last month, the PKR, party of de facto leader, deputy president Azmin Ali had earlier stated,

"I do not foresee any major objection in simultaneously dissolving the state assemblies, as the full term of office is drawing to a close by the middle of next year."

In fact, the de facto's blue eyed boy, "Azmin said Pakatan might get Penang and Selangor to agree to simultaneous elections."

“The goodwill arising from the on-going cash handouts to the populace — RM100 to school children RM500 to low-income households etc — will dissipate within a few months,” DAP publicity secretary Tony Pua agreed

Unless my uneducated mind is failing me, what all these statements mean are that should BN delay elections it would cause the ruling coalition to lose valuable votes.

So how come the PKR vice-president's father, Brother Anwar, now wants to postpone elections, albeit Selangor state elections, if the elections held sooner would cause the BN to lose votes which would be beneficial to the opposition pact?

Stupid is as stupid does Pakatan Rakyat supporters will not wonder why it is only the Brother who is making these exclamations, postponing state election, when the other PAS and DAP leaders are being silent.

Monday, April 16, 2012

“If countries like Sri Lanka and Mauritius can give their students free education, why can’t we?

He added that over 5,000 students and youth will be expected at the rally in Dataran Merdeka.

Also present at the press conference was Mandeep Singh, the first PTPTN loan recipient to sue the agency.

The statement attributed to Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia (SMM) chairman Muhammad Safwan Anang "that countries like Sri Lanka and Mauritius can give their students free education" must have been taken fro Wikipedia here.

Note the similar statements from wiki -

In Mauritius the government provides free education to its citizens from pre-primary to tertiary levels.

In some developing countries like Sri Lanka, education is free from the primary level to the tertiary level.

Is tertiary education in Mauritius free?

This 2006 study sponsored by UNESCO underlined the need for a loan scheme in Mauritius due to increasing financial constraints of the government for tertiary education.

Following the 2008/09 budget speech whereby the Minister of Finance, and Economic Empowerment announced that “no one should be turned away from Tertiary Education through lack of Funds”, the HRKADF was established by regulation made under Section 24 of the Finance and Audit Act.

The objects of the Fund relevant to Tertiary Education are the financing of:

a. Physical infrastructure for post-secondary education, such as buildings, equipment and various facilities; and
b. Student loan scheme and scholarships including a full scholarship for students attending or admitted in courses at post-secondary institutions in Mauritius with household income not exceeding Rs 10,000 per month and who face severe hardship following the death or serious incapacity of a wage earner.

In relation to the above, the Finance Division of the TEC undertakes the following activities:

i. Establishment of the Scholarship Scheme;
ii. Establishment of the Government Guaranteed Student Loan Scheme. This involved discussions with stakeholders such as the Mauritius Banker’s Association.

These are fees being charged charged in the Universities in Mauritius.

Surely it shows that that it is not free in Mauritius.

What about Sri Lanka?

While it cannot be disputed that it provides free education, wikipedia Education in Sri Lanka provides this entry -

Undergraduate education in State Universities is also free but extremely limited.

This group of university and ex-university (the one who sued PTPTN) students should make a most forceful case for "5,000 students and youth will be expected at the rally in Dataran Merdeka". Note:The Star article is silent on day and date of rally.

There is no such thing as free tertiary education and free will come to an end sooner or later.

Since the Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia (SMM) chairman chose to pick Sri Lanka and Mauritius as his examples and I have only briefly touched on Sri Lanka, I afford some higher education developments in that country, I digress interestingly.

The involvement of the J.V.P and other left oriented organizations in using the university student population to create instability in the university system to achieve political advantage in Sri Lanka is becoming increasingly apparent. These organisations should realize that an armed insurrection would never succeed in gaining political power in this country. Although there is a vehement denial of any such aspirations on their part, the present unrest at many universities based on minor problems faced by the university students indicates that there are attempts made in this direction by misleading the innocent student population. The government must act with absolute restraint and minimise the confrontations between the police and the protesting students. Force must never be used so as to result in death or grievous hurt to protesting students. Their problems must be addressed and solutions found without delay to nip the problem in the bud. The death of a student in any confrontation will undoubtedly anger the parents and draw the general public into the fiasco, which is the ultimate aim of these bankrupt politicians.

Modus operandi that sounds very, very familiar to me.

Of that "5,000 students and youth will be expected at the rally in Dataran Merdeka", "The protestors grew to several hundreds on Saturday night but while most left home later, about 50 pitched tents and vowed to stage a sit-in until April 28 to greet the planned Bersih 3.0 rally" and 50 defiant students remain in protest

Students now sitting-in "until April 28 to greet the planned Bersih 3.0 rally".

The planned BERSIH 3.0 rally against -

"widespread allegations of postal-vote fraud, to the hugely unreliable electoral register, to the scenes of mutiny outside polling stations that were closed before hundreds had been able to vote, this was a disgrace to the democratic process."

PETALING JAYA: Survey findings of a national voter registration audit (VRA) shows that the accuracy of the electoral roll was high with a 99.6% match in the details listed in the identification cards and electoral roll of the voters.

The survey was carried out by the National Institute for Democracy and Electoral Integrity (NIEI), Centre for Independent Journalism and Merdeka Centre in December 2011.

It is here at the Election Commision official site and please get your own translation if you are not BM literate.

BERSIH and the opposition will never tell you that the election rolls is put on public display every three months and only after there is no claims or objections will it be gazetted and officially used in any election.

"They (Bersih) should know that the EC has nothing to hide. If indeed there are such discrepancies, give us the details and we will update them if necessary," he told the New Straits Times yesterday.

In this post I said "For them who have never voted, we who have voted will tell you, don't fall to these two cons."

BERSIH and the opposition supporters who have voted know it is not easy to manipulate the voting system but have no compunction spinning a yarn. I even provided an article by blogger OutSyed The Box to that effect.

If the opposition candidate or their agents dispute the election result, the Borang 14 should not be signed. Once signed, the Borang 14 is an official endorsement affirming the result.

They cannot after affirming, dispute the result later to say the result is fraught with irregularites or fraud.

It is only an BERSIH abetted opposition tactic. An insurance and excuse in the event they loose badly as in the 2004 general elections to hide any real reason for the opposition's failure.

The BERSIH 3.0 will have the same pity pity end as these group of university and ex-university PTPTN protesters.

"In November 2006, NDI conducted a series of single-party training sessions on strategic communications and messaging. NDI conducted a workshop for the fledgling Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH) that focused on improving the action plans of each participating organization or political party in accomplishing their objectives.

Funding

NDI's program for Malaysia is funded by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

"The methods of manipulating foreign elections have been modified since the heyday of CIA cloak and dagger operations, but the general objectives of imperial rule are unchanged. Today, the U.S. government relies less on the CIA in most cases and more on the relatively transparent initiatives undertaken by such public and private organizations as the National Endowment forDemocracy (NED), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Freedom House, George Soros’s Open Society, and a network of other well-financed globetrotting public and private professional political organizations, primarily American, operating in the service of the state’s parallel neoliberal economic and political objectives."

Oh, oh, not only NED but also George Soros' OSI, eh Madam Ambiga.

In the above article, the following excerpt is a glaringly accurate description of Madam Ambiga and her not too strange bedfellow, Brother Anwar Bin Ibrahim,

Indeed, “democracy assistance” is a growth industry. The election of “free market” politicians and parties is the gateway through which all sorts of international carpetbaggers and con men, including electioneering experts, are certain to follow.

The Brother and his dancing partner, Sister Ambiga dances to the tune of the NED, who "By dealing with private groups abroad rather than foreign governments, NED invariably ends up playing favorites, engendering strife within the very democratic movements it seeks to assist." - Loose Cannon: The National Endowment for Democracy.

Survey findings of a national voter registration audit (VRA) shows that the accuracy of the electoral roll was high with a 99.6% match in the details listed in the identification cards and electoral roll of the voters.

The survey was carried out by the National Institute for Democracy and Electoral Integrity (NIEI), Centre for Independent Journalism and Merdeka Centre in December 2011.

The study to assess the accuracy and completeness of the electoral rolls found that from the sample of 2,400 respondents, most details listed in the MyKad were accurately captured in the roll except for a few cases where there were typographical errors and one case where two voters shared the same identification card number.

MyKad

Love my country with its pimples, warts and all - a paradise on earth. Born in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor. Blog, Title and Description was created a flip-flop moment in time and what others following will aspire the country to be, that which was achieved by the Special One.

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